daddyxj-1

Ok, so we now have the technology for movies to create any characters and worlds we can imagine BUT at the sacrifice of a simple, decent and COMPLETE story. This movie did nothing but become a 2 hour world building 1st act because the writers had sequels in mind. The movie is mostly eye candy, it tries to be something more with a little romance in the film that comes with a twist toward the end but it just feels forced. The look and effects of the film are great but that's all the movie mostly is, eye candy. Rosa Salazar performance is actually very good as Alita I just wish there was a better more contained story built around her performance. I really think if they were trying to make this a trilogy than they should have gone with a more simple and contained story and not try to be so big right away. Give us glimpses of what this bigger world is but just keep the story focused on Alita's journey into self discovery and her romance with her human friend. But we get so much going on and action scenes that are just there for the sake of seeing her fight. I don't know anything about the source material but I do know movie story telling and this movie was all set up for a future sequel. I just saw what could have been a better more interesting movie. I felt the movie was all surface emotional when it could have gotten deeper with Alitas journey in self discover which opens her would to the bigger picture. This movie was too big and should have been a more simple and contained story then open to the bigger world in the sequel. Because as it stands I am not interested in this world and don't really care for the sequel because they did not make me emotionally invested in the characters. With the exception of the acting (which all the actors do a fine job given the dialogue and direction they have been given) the movie is a disappointment. I just wanted to more invested into this film but all I got was a sugar rush of CGI action set pieces

This movie could have been something special but instead it becomes a near miss of a movie. The concept of the movie is great, 3 individuals are captured who believe they are superheroes but a psychiatrist is trying disprove their beliefs. Glass brought up some very thought provoking ideas but does not really play on them. The performances from Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis and James McAvoy were all brilliant and M. Night does write some great dialogue but I feel the script's storyline needed another pass. I really like the idea in the film of trying to prove that superheros are real, that comic books are based on some sort of reality. There was just something about the pacing of the movie that's was just off. Plus I felt like the movie didn't know what it wanted to be...a mystery , a horror movie or a superhero origin story. If they were all three then it did the job very disjointed. Glass had the potential to be something better than what we got. The 3rd act is a mess and very ridiculous compared to the previous two acts. I think another super human should have been introduced or teased. The twist at the end was bad because it was abrupt and seemed like an afterthought. I think this "twist" should have been the main drive of the entire film, also I wanted to know more about what this "twist" was about. M. Night does a great job with his direction but his script need more work with the storyline. The movie is a good watch just for the 3 leads performances alone but the movie will leave you disappointed.

This movies has a great concept and the story moved along well (for the first 2 acts). The performances were not great but decent. BUT this is the type of movie where its ending will make it or break it. And its ending broke it. There were a million ways to end a movie like this, that was very fun to watch, but these days movies have to leave things open to make you want to see a sequel. Why can't we just get complete movies and then come up with whole new ideas for a sequel in case it is a hit (like in the good old days of the 80's and 90's). This movie leaves you unsatisfied and I could care less for a sequel. But If this movie ended strong and if another film was announced I would be excited. Ok movie with a bad ending.

I am always ready for some original science fiction to see at the movie theaters. With science fiction being my favorite genre I had to see this film when I found out it was based on a short film I saw on YouTube (presented by DUST) a few months ago. My first thought was how can they make an entire film out of that. Well I will tell you..

The good elements about this movie are the photography, direction, sound effects and mostly the acting. This movie will carry you along with 3 (if not 4) good performances. James Franco comes of creepy and frightening as the criminal leader, Jack Raynor is very convincing as the out of control older brother, and I have always liked Dennis Quaid who does well here (I always felt he could have replace Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones back in the day). But its newcomer Myles Truitt the brings it home with his great performance. If it was not for his performance in this movie I don't think it would have worked...at all. There is one scene with him in particular that I thought was really well directed and performed. This scene (no spoiler) comes while he is watching a news broadcast on TV and the camera stays on his face as you see his reactions. Brilliant.

Ok now the bad stuff...its not really a sci-fi "romp". This is a Science Fiction/DRAMA with some action and I think that will disappoint a lot of people, WHY, I'll tell you why...marketing. The trailer and commercials make this movie out to be a high pace action film when it's not. There is action in it but mostly at the end. To me its not a bad thing that you get an emotional story with a sci-fi backdrop but I just wish they would have marketed the movie that way (but I guess it worked cuz it got me in the theater, lol). I have always liked science fiction movies that deal with the real human emotions in situations of a science fiction concept and this movie hits that perfectly. It's not trying to rush to the next action set piece and cut corners for the sake of a thrill because it has a story to tell first. Some may be bored and shout "just start shooting the gun or something!" but not me, I was quite pleased with this drama because I got invested and expected a very satisfying conclusion...well.

The biggest blunder in the movie is the climax and ending. The ending action climax was engaging and somewhat fun to watch but once you think about the logic of the situation your suspension of disbelief goes out the window. I see what they were trying to go for with this action scene but it just seemed like it was not thought out completely. Then with all the human drama throughout the film that is very interesting and engaging I was happy think that I was going to get a huge Sci-fi payoff at the end. You do but...Its very unsatisfying is the best way to put it. You get a vague if not off kilter explanation and you slightly feel like you just stepped into another movie. PLUS the biggest let down for me was that it leaves things hanging with the door wide open for a sequel. This I thought was very disappointing because I wanted to get a conclusion to THIS story I was wrapped up in for 100 min. I wanted answers to what was going on, not a vague explanation of things that I don't understand. I think this ending would have work if they kept leaving clues throughout the film that would lead to this vague explanation then I think it would have been more expectable because we saw the pieces and then we would have only knew what the main characters know. There is one clue, actually, but its only touched on once and I wish it would have been explored more. I guess we got to wait for a sequel to get the answers I want. (The main question "What the hell is the laser gun?")

Is the movie worth watching ...yes. Is there enough spectacle to see it in the theater...sadly no (only if you want to support original theatrical films). Put it like this, if this movie does become a slight hit and it spawns a franchise I can see critics and reviewers stating how the sequels didn't capture human drama and wonder of the first film. That's what kind of movie this is, a real movie, with a real story that includes a science fiction element that can greatly be expanded on in sequels. A world was built here but, but I hate to say it, KIN would have been built better on Netflix.

Luke's line mentioned in the trailer is exactly what this movies about. It does not go how you think. It is almost like they read all the fan theories on the net and said ok lets not fulfill those notions. And you know what I'm ok with that. This new trilogy started with Rey, Finn and Kylo Ren, theses movies are about them not the original cast. The movie is good I was entertained but the problem lies (for me) in the elongated 1st act. Just like with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 I didn't realize that I was within the main plot until about halfway through the movie. The first half of the movie is a lot of filler that did not need to be there. I get what the over arching idea is supposed to be. The resistance in their most desperate hour, losses are great, choices are made, authority is questioned. I like all that but it could have progressed in a better paced way. During this first act though all the stuff going on with Kylo Ren, Rey and Luke are very interesting (and will create more fan speculation before Episode 9 comes out). Now to get into the good and the bad.

The Good: The opening battle, The second half of the film, Kylo Ren, Rian Johnson's direction (in the second half) and Mark Hamell's performance.

The opening battle reminded me of the opening of Revenge of the Sith but I think it was done better. This is also where Rian Johnson shines because its done like a little short film. We have two very, very interesting characters (good and bad) in this sequence I wish were in the whole film.

When certain events occur mid way through then the film becomes a true Star Wars movie. There are 3 sequences and a heartwarming scene that actually saves this movie. If it were not for these this movie would be a boring mess. It took an hour but the movie does find its pace.

Kylo Ren has about the most interesting story arch of these new movies. I really love how they are fleshing him out. You know why he is evil and you can see how he sees things. It does in a way echo Anakin Skywalkers motivation but it differs where as (spoiler) Anakin's fall to evil was for love while Kylo's fall was because of the betrayal of love (and may also be seeking it...hmmm.) This is why the Kylo Ren and Rey demographic that was presented in this film interests me the most and excites me as to where it is going in Episode 9.

Rian Johnson does a good job of bringing his style to Star Wars. It is nice to see a Star Wars movie with some style to its direction. Casual movie goers will not see the artful direction but inspiring filmmakers will and will notice he directed with his own style (to be fair so did JJ Abrams with the Force Awakens somewhat). There is a sequence that is so, pardon me, bad ass when the whole scene goes silent (and if I remember correctly I think it went into black and white also). There is also an awesome lightsaber battle (battle not fight) and a heartwarming scene with Luke and Liea. Its these moments that save this film. And the performance that Rian gets out of Mark Hamill is excellent. Hamill may have not agreed with the direction Luke was going in this movie but neither did Luke. And it gave Mark Hamill some juicy dialog to act to. I think Rian made the right choice for Luke, he is, after all, "only human".

The Bad: The first halfs pace, Canto Biat Casino, The subplot, Liea and the force.

Ok so like I mentioned before the first half has problems. The pace is off and goes into a slow crawl because it seems to want to fill time which it really didn't need to. The whole mutiny subplot was ok but it amounted to nothing. Finn and Roses mission was just out of place and once the story unfolds the sequence was very unneccassary. Finn could have been used a lot better here (I think his character as a whole could be more important to the resistance, like if he was an high officer or one of the technicians of the ships.) Laura Dern was used very useless until he bad ass moment but I was just started to like her character when it hinted that she may be more than she seems. But nope.

The Casino scenes were boring...that's all.

The mutiny subplot was ok but once the story unfolded it was unnecessary and would have had more weight to the subplot if the hint of what Laura Derns character really was turned out, but nope.

And when Liea uses the force is the most corniest scene in any Star Wars movie...EVER. The scene reminded me of a scene in Guardians of the Galaxy but I can except it in that film because they are superheroes. The scene took me out the movie and thought ok so now she is a superhero.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a entertaining film. It is worth the price of admission and I will go see it again. It's just that first act and some story points that are questionable but once the movie gets going boy does it get going (pretty much its when all the characters leave the locations they were at in the first act). Not as good as the originals, better than a couple of prequels and better than the Force Awakens do to its originality. One of the better Star Wars films but not the best.

When I first heard of this movie the first thing that came to mind was a list of movies that had the same similar concept of Ridley Scott's original Alien. They are... CREATURE, FORBIDDEN WORLD, GALAXY OF TERROR, CONTAMINATION, INSEMIOID, LIFEFORCE, ROOTS SEARCH, STAR CHRYSTAL, DEEPSTAR SIX, PARASITE, SPECIES, LEVETHIN, 51, EVENT HORIZON, PANDORUM, PITCH BLACK, DARK UNIVERSE, OUTLANDER, EUROPA REPORT, and let's throw in SUPERNOVA and SUNSHINE for good measure. My point is all these moves have pretty much ripped off Alien in some way or another... A crew is on a mission in a remote area (space, underwater, a city or the frontier) and they come across a creature that kills them off one by one. SO what did LIFE bring to the table that was new? What did LIFE cover that none of these other films cover? What made major stars Ryan Renolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Rebecca Ferguson want to star in a movie whose concept was done many times before? Those questions were the reason I had to see this movie and the answer is...the execution.

The movie's originality is in its realism of the concept. What if a situation like this REALLY happened. How would astronauts on the ISS in space deal with it. With the odds against them like a confined space, no weapons and most importantly NO Gravity. And there my friends is the catch. If I were reading the script and I discovered that this creature can maneuver in zero G's like a fish in water then yes I would be hooked. And It doesn't hurt that you have good actors to carry you along. You feel their desperation and their struggle and pain. And with clever direction from Danial Espinosa, you get a good movie that is executed well. No it's not a new concept, and yes we have seen this story before but when you execute it well it becomes original.

"POSSIBLE SPOILER"

Oh, and the alien itself was original too. This monster is pretty not menacing and ugly but approachable. Like a small cute dog you want to pet but look out, it bites...hard. The creature was made for a zero g environment which puts the victims at a disadvantage. They can't run down corridors like in Alien they have to float and push...slowly. Chills yet?

All in all, this is a good movie and the ending does lead itself to possibly have a squeal but I hope it doesn't because it won't capture the magic this film did with the environment it created. At times this movie reminded me of Gravity but with an alien in it. This movie goes on my list as one of the best Alien knock-offs. LIFE is not original but it is executed well.

OK, that did it, I'm Done with watching Transformers movies at the theater. I will just wait until the next movies are on video or ready to stream. I am a huge Transformers fan and I know the mythology well but this movie takes the mythology and flips it upside down and backward. As a movie on its own, it is a hot mess of bad writing, editing, and pacing. BUT Michael does know how to shoot a "scene" but they are strung together incoherently.

So What I Liked were the music and the effects. That's pretty much it. Steve Jablonsky's score was over 100 times better than this movie deserves. I really like how he brought back some of the original themes but made them the sound of desperation. The confusing climax had this mellow desperate theme (you hear in the trailer) that in a better movie would have worked very well but it does nothing for you because whats on screen is in the way. The two tracks that are worth noting are "Sacrifice" and "We Have To Go". Just listen to those tracks and if you have a filmmaking state of mind you can imagine a better movie with those tones. Also, the special effects were well done compared to AGE OF EXTINCTION's hammy job. I know it's all CGI that we have seen before but the imagery that was composed is awesome to look at especially the climax with the parts of the planet hanging down and "scraping" earth.

Now What I Didn't Like (Got Time? then read on) #1 the editing. This is by far, to me, the worst edited movie in history. Like I said Michael Bay films the scenes very well (like the opening battle) but when they are put together you have no idea what the hell is going on. And then the noticeable aspect ratio. So nobody in the editing room noticed that different shots had black bars at the top and bottom disappearing then reappearing. This happens because some shots were shot in IMAX. I do defend Michael Bay because I do think he is a better director than this (The Rock, Bad Boys, Armageddon, Pearl Harbor) but he really dropped the ball on this film. He knows how to shoot a sequence but that's all it has going for it. If you watch a couple of shots on YouTube before seeing the movie you would be like "wow that looks like a good movie" NO it's just a good shot and sequence. And supposedly they had a writers room come up with a plot by using Transformers mythos, HUH? Well, a lot of things irked me. Without giving away any spoilers I'm gonna name the mythos they got wrong (if you are a Transformers fan then you'll know what Im talking about)...Nemesis Prime, Bumblebee's Abilities, Hot Rod, Megatron/Galvatron, The Quintassons, Cybertron, Barricade???,The Ark, and a very important evil transformer that I will not give away the name because it is a spoiler but once you find out what his alternate mode is your gonna flip and wanna walk out of the theater.

I am so glad that Michael Bay is going to step down as director of this series because obviously, he does not care about the problems these films have. I say hire an up a coming director who gives a damn about making a good movie and not in it for the cash grab. But as for now, I am done spending my money in hopes of a great movie experience. Want to see a good Transformers movie, then go see the animated "The Transformers- The Movie"

What happens when superheroes get old is the main and interesting question this movie answers. It's a question when you think of when you place superheroes in the real world. Logan is a great movie and I think one of the best superhero movies ever made. The movie so adult in its approach that I think even youngsters who read the comics will learn to grow into. The script, the action, the acting is all great and goes to show that you don't need over the top action and effects to tell a great story. This movie gave me what I wanted...a movie. Something you can watch, be taken away and talk about hours after you watch it. And you don't have to know anything about the mythology of the Xmen to enjoy this film.This movie has heart and is directed wonderfully by James Mangold. Hugh Jackman's final performance as Wolverine is his best performance to date because of the range of emotions he has to go through in this film. Great film, highly recommended.

The latest entry in the Alien series is not good nor is it bad. It's just there. It's like a ho-hum episode of a TV series.The movie tries to be nostalgic with reference to the original Alien but it just comes off having a been there/done that kinda feel. I felt the same way about the prequel Prometheus and I think if both movies were stand alone film and not part of the Alien Universe my reaction to them would probably be different. In a way, I think I liked Prometheus better than this film because at least it was trying to be different and it started the series on a pure sci-fi note then divulged into horror.

What I did like about this film are the following...The new neomorph.I like the way it looked and how ferocious it was.I think its look is how the alien/human hybrid of Alien: Resurrection should have looked. The effects were OK and the best action scene was on top of the freighter scene. And Danny McBride shows he can do serious acting he was a highlight of the film.

What I didn't like was the story. It focused more on the androids than any other "Alien" film. And when the Xenomorph did arrive I was expecting a voice over saying "and now introducing the Xenomorph" because when it first appears something happens that is the goofiest moment in all the series. And there is a story element that changes the whole mythology of the Alien itself that I think is absurd and makes no since. Put it like this, I think this "idea" is so bad that I know don't care where the franchise goes from here. Now that I have the answer to the most lingering question I have always had about the Xenomorph there is no need for me to be intrigued anymore. Oh and the Xenomorph in this movie is the dumbest Xenomorph in the whole series. They are supposed to cunning and clever and they always show some intelligence. Not in this one, it runs around like a rabid dog (in fact its movements remind me of they way the "dog birthed alien" moved in Alien 3). And the ending was supposed to be a twist but you already knew what it was leading too (in some ways I think this was intentional).

All in all, this is not a great movie and it is watchable but you will roll your eyes to some of the choices made in the film and of the mythology. If I had to rank this one out of all 6 of the Alien films this one would be #5 just above Alien: Resurrection and below Prometheus (Aliens is #1, Alien is #2, Alien 3 is #3 and yes I like Alien 3 a lot...now). When the next film comes out I can wait to rent it and just enjoy the first 3 films on DVD.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a mix tape of the good and the bad. The movie was decent overall but the move had a sadness going through it that felt out of place and just not what I (and I think Audiences) are going to look for. So when I say this is a mix tape it's not really so much the movie, it's how you feel about it after you watch it. You don't really know if you enjoyed it or were disappointed that you really didn't get what you expected.

OK so what I like about it... effects, production design, action and the humor (sort of). The look of this film is like a Christmas tree full of color and blinking lights. The images pop and made me think any frame in this movie I could pause and use it as a wallpaper on my computer. Lots of CGI but good CGI that gave the movie a very beautiful Sci-Fi look I liked a lot. (There is even an alien made of crystal that was cool). And the look of Ego's planet is worthy of an Oscar production design nomination. The best action sequence was almost reminiscent of the best action sequence in the Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and was very fun to watch. And the humor ....well it wasn't the jokes that were spoken it was the visual humor that made me laugh out load. The vocal jokes spoken by Drax were very bland and Rockets jokes seemed forced. And the banter between the characters got kinda annoying.

Now what I didn't like. The Story...It took most of the movie before you realize "oh OK this IS the story". To me, it felt like the whole movie was a set up for the climax. You're led into a series of sequences that are caused by the characters that you think are set- ups for the real story but nope they are the story. Even though the scenes are entertaining you can't help but think "ok can we get past this and get on with the story". And see that is where I'm mixed at...The Is a Character Driven Action Sci-fi Film! and I put the emphasis on Character. There is so much character building in this film that you now know your heroes better than you did in the first film and that is the point of the movie. We keep preaching as movie goers how much we want quality in the movies we pay a ticket to see then when we get it we dislike it...at first (for me personally: Alien 3, The Empire Strikes Back, Spiderman 2). I think I will like this film a lot better when I see it again because now I can watch it for what it is and not what I expect.

Like I said This is a Mix Tape but not a bad mix tape. I think if you go in not expecting to see a rehash of the first film you will be pleasantly surprised. BUT Vol. 3 better bring it, lol!

Furious 7 had one the best conclusions for a film series ever. I and was perfectly happy if the series ended there and continued with spin-offs or hell even a Netflix TV show. But the almighty dollar wants these films to continue. I really had my doubts going into this film. I didn't think the series had any fuel left. The story arch in the last 3 films was complete. What else can we tell now that the main antagonist was no longer in the series? Well, I was wrong, really wrong, I was very surprised by this movie, surprised to the fact that I was very entertained and had as much fun as I had with this series since Tokyo Drift (yes I liked Tokyo Drift). The main driving point of the story (which the trailers express) of Dom going rouge was a valid plot point and with a twist to the series that worked.

What I liked about the film was the main plot device and of course the action. All the action scenes were all fun to watch (personally, I like the opening sequence best) But this movie delivered on what it promises and that's over the top action. At one point our anti- heroes seemed like superheroes who drive in their own "Batmobiles" and ride to the rescue.

What I didn't like was fact that a couple of action scenes were fun but very ridiculous and somewhat didn't work for me. And one of the characters in the film has an arch that just betrays the last two films and makes you question the motive of others. But on the downside, the franchise will run out of fuel soon and start to get that "been there, done that" feel to it that will make the next films seem boring. You somewhat feel that in the climax of this film but it's the main plot point that keeps the action scene lifted because you know it's coming just when and how keeps you invested.

All in all the movie was really good and you will be entertained and I would rank it as well as parts 5, 6 and 7 but the finish line is near and I feel the next films (I read 2 more are coming) will not have enough fuel to make to the finish line. Will the next films kick in the NOS and project us to the finish line...I really do hope so.

If the new "rebooted" Star Trek was a TV series then this would be a low point episode that makes you want to watch the next episode. The best thing this movie has going for it is the dialogue between our main characters and the visuals. I did like how it focused on other Star Trek Characters other than Kirk, Spock and Bones for once but I just found the story kinda ho-hum and predictable. Half way through (when I caught on to the plot twist that was coming) I felt I had seen this episode before or a variation of it. I really felt with an awesome title like Beyond that the villain in the film should have been nature. Like they end up in the "Beyond", a part on space that NO ONE has been before and have to deal with unthinkable situations in that area. Oh well that's my opinion. Good movie but not great and I think its the highest of the low points in the whole Star Trek series of movies. Star Trek (2009) and Into Darkness were better.